Posture chair



Oct. 2, 1962 K. N. PAQUETTE POSTURE CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 24, 1960 INVENTOR. 2 0202 /1 Dagz/ezze,

Parker 6 Carter fizomey:

This invention relates to a secretarial posture chair, and in particular to improved means for making adjustments thereon.

One purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved means for adjusting the back supporting structure relative to the seat supporting structure on a chair of the type described.

Another purpose is an improved means for vertically adjusting the back of a secretarial chair relative to the seat.

Another purpose is an improved means for raising and lowering the back of a secretarial posture chair relative to the seat.

Another purpose is an improved means for horizontally adjusting the seat of a chair relative to the back.

Other purposes will appear in the ensuing specification, drawings and claims.

The invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the following drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a secretarial posture chair,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged section of the chair of FIGURE 1 illustrating the back supporting structure and the seat supporting structure in detail,

FIGURE 3 is a section taken along plane 3--3 of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 4 is a partial section along plane 44 of FIGURE 2.

According to present accepted standards, there are four principal adjustments necessary for a satisfactory secretarial posture chair. The seat height should be adjustable. The back should be adjustable vertically relative to the seat. The back should also pivot about a horizontal axis so as to fit into the curve of the occupants back. Lastly, the relation between the seat and the back should be adadjustable horizontally to accommodate long or short legged individuals.

This invention is principally concerned with a means for vertically adjusting the back relative to the seat.

In FIGURE 1, a conventional chair base may have casters 12 at each of the four corners thereof. A threaded spindle 14 rises upwardly from the center of the base 10 and is mounted thereon. An adjusting wheel or the like 16 may be securely mounted on the spindle 14 adjacent the base 10. Rotation of the adjusting wheel 16 is eifective to raise or lower the spindle 14.

The details of the back supporting structure and the seat supported structure and the mounting thereof on the spindle are shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. A seat supporting casting 18 may have a somewhat tapered bore or hole 20 formed and adapted to receive a correspondingly tapered portion 22 on the top of the spindle. A suitable screw or the like 24 having an enlarged head 26 seats upon the top of the casting 18 and is threadedly secured to the tapered portion 22 of the spindle, thus providing a secure mounting for the seat supporting casting on the spindle.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the casting 18 may have upwardly and outwardly extending flanges 28 adjacent each side to provide a mounting for a conventional chair cushion 30. The bottom of the cushion may have flange elements 32 secured to a wood base 34 by suitable screws or the like 36. The flange elements 32 each have a down- 'ice wardly and inwardly extending flange portion 38 with a contour or shape similar to the flanges 28 to slidably secure the cushion to the seat casting. The mated flanges 28 and 38 prevent sidewise movement of the seat and a small handwheel or the like 40, threaded through the casting 18 and into the cushion 30, secures the seat against forward and backward movement.

A back supporting structure indicated generally at 42 comprises a somewhat horizontal arm 44 and a vertical arm 46 with the upper end thereof formed into a T 48 to pivotally support a backrest 50.

The horizontal arm 44 includes a cylindrical end 52 integral therewith and slidably mounted on the spindle 14. The inside diameter of the cylinder 52 is such that the back supporting structure may be slidably moved up and down on the spindle without rotation thereof. An adjusting element or adjusting wheel 54 may be threadedly mounted on the spindle immediately below the cylindrical portion 52 and in contact therewith. Rotation of the adjusting element 54 on the spindle moves the back supporting structure up and down relative to the seat supporting structure.

The seat supporting casting 18 has an upwardly directed cylindrical slot 56 with a diameter sufiiciently large to receive cylindrical portion 52. The rearward portion of the casting 18 has an outwardly directed or radial slot 58 of a width sufiicient to receive the horizontal arm 44, but not sufficient to permit extensive horizontal movement thereof. The slots 56 and 58 combine to form an opening for receiving the upper portion of the cylinder 52 and a portion of the generally horizontal arm 44. Downward movement of the back supporting structure is limited by a stop pin 60 secured to the spindle, and upward movement of the back supporting structure is limited by the top surface 62 of the slots 56 and 58.

The use, operation and function of the invention are as follows:

It is conventional in chairs of the type described to have a threaded spindle rising from the base and an adjusting wheel threadedly mounted thereon for raising and lowering the back and seat supporting structure as a unit. However, in order to provide a chair which will correctly fit the posture of different individuals it is necessary to provide means for adjusting the back supporting structure relative to the seat supporting structure. In the invention, this adjustment is provided by means of an adjusting element or adjusting wheel threadedly mounted on the spindle and in contact with the back supporting structure. Rotation of the adjusting wheel 54 is effective to raise or lower the back supporting structure relative to the seat structure of the chair. Upward movement of the back supporting structure is limited by contact between said structure and the seat structure, and downward movement of the back supporting structure is limited by a stop pin or the like suitably secured to the spindle.

There are four adjustments on a secretarial posture chair of the type described. Conventionally, the seat height may be adjusted by the adjusting wheel 16. The relative height of the back supporting structure and seat supporting structure may be varied by the adjusting element 54 shown and described herein. The backrest 50 is horizontally pivoted on the back supporting structure to fit the contour of a particular individual. The last adjustment is the relative positon, horizontally, between the seat and the back. This adjustment is provided by the hand wheel 40 which is effective to lock the seat in any desired position.

Although the invention has been described in connection with a secretarial posture chair, it should be understood the means for adjusting the back relative to the seat may be applied to any adjustable chair.

Whereas the preferred form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it should be realized that there are many modifications, substitutions and alterations thereto within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an adjustable chair, a base, a threaded spindle mounted on said base and extending upwardly therefrom, a seat supporting structure mounted on said spindle, a back supporting structure movably mounted on said spindle, said seat supporting structure having a portion thereof extending concentrically along said spindle and enclosing a portion of said back supporting structure and means for moving said back supporting structure relative to said seat supporting structure including an adjusting element threadedly mounted on said spindle and in contact with said back supporting structure, movement of said adjusting element on said spindle being effective to raise and lower said back supporting structure.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said back supporting structure is slidably mounted on said spindle.

3. The structure of claim 1 further characterized by a radial slot in said concentric portion, said back supporting structure extending through said slot and being enclosed, in part, by said concentric portion.

4. The structure of claim 1 further characterized by means for limiting the relative movement between said seat supporting structure and said back supporting structure.

5. The structure of claim 1 further characterized by means for moving said seat supporting structure and back supporting structure, as a unit, relative to said base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 597,866 Trapp Jan. 25, 1898 602,489 Trapp Apr. 19, 1898 693,685 Case Feb. 18, 1902 2,356,507 Cramer Aug. 22, 1944 2,935,121 Good May 3, 1960 

